• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Bengaluru Stampede: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday staged a protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, demanding the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over the June 4 stampede that claimed 11 lives and left 56 others injured.

The incident occurred during a victory celebration organised for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team at Chinnaswamy Stadium, following their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 win. A massive crowd had gathered to witness the event, leading to a stampede in a narrow area outside the stadium. Police had reportedly warned against holding the event and had not granted official permission, but the celebration went ahead, resulting in a tragic crowd surge.

ALSO READ: 'Speak In Kannada First': Bengaluru Woman's Viral Response To Telugu-Speaking Vox-Pop Host Goes Viral | WATCH

On Sunday, BJP leaders including Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka and MLA Prabhu Bhamla Chavan led the protest, holding the Congress-led state government directly responsible for the deaths. The protestors carried placards, shouted slogans and demanded immediate resignations from the Chief Minister, Deputy CM and Home Minister G. Parameshwara. Some demonstrators even called them “murderers” for allegedly allowing an unsafe public gathering to proceed.

“This is not a government, it is a Tughlaq Durbar,” said Ashoka during the protest. “The event was hastily planned without any regard for public safety. Eleven people died because of the government’s negligence. Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar must step down,” he added.

Prabhu Bhamla Chavan also addressed the media, saying the real culprits are being protected while low-ranking police officers are being made scapegoats. “Don’t offer compensation and avoid accountability. Take moral responsibility and resign,” he said. Chavan also alleged that the suspended police officers were being sacrificed to shield the ministers from blame.

The BJP further criticised the government for its failure to ensure proper planning and crowd control. Ashoka demanded that compensation for the families of those who died be increased to Rs1 crore. He also accused the government of repeatedly risking public lives through poorly managed events and alleged that similar carelessness under government-run schemes had caused farmer suicides and staff deaths in the past.

ALSO READ: 'You’re In Bengaluru, Don’t Use Hindi': Auto Driver Demands Woman Speak Kannada During Fare Dispute; Video Goes Viral

The BJP announced plans to meet Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot in the coming days, urging him to dismiss the Congress government in Karnataka over its alleged failure to maintain law and order. The party has accused the state administration of systemic negligence and claimed that the government failed to heed early warnings from the police regarding the RCB event.

The protest comes amid growing political pressure on the Congress government, with the opposition accusing it of mishandling public events and failing to ensure the safety of citizens. Meanwhile, an official inquiry has been ordered into the stampede, and several police officials have been suspended.